Vodacom has the fastest 5G network in South Africa, according to the latest mobile network quality report from MyBroadband Insights.
The report found that Vodacom had an average 5G download speed of 260 Mbps. MTN came second with 176 Mbps, while Cell C recorded 139 Mbps.
The results cover tests done between 1 July 2026 and 30 September 2026. Over that time, MyBroadband Insights collected data from 296,405 speed tests on thousands of devices.
The research firm said it used two kinds of data. The first comes from users who run tests on the MyBroadband Speed Test App, which gives a sample of many different phones.
The second comes from drive tests. These use both new smartphones that support the latest technology and mid-range phones that match what most people use. The drive tests covered 20,000 kilometres, including all major roads and cities.
According to the report, Vodacom also had the best 5G performance in most of the country’s big metro areas. In Nelson Mandela Bay, it reached an average 5G speed of 300 Mbps. In Cape Town, it recorded 234 Mbps.
MyBroadband said Vodacom’s average 5G speed was above 200 Mbps in every South African metro area.
The report linked these results to Vodacom’s spending on its network. In the Western Cape, the operator is investing R500 million in network infrastructure during the current financial year.
About R380 million of that budget will go to upgrading its Radio Access Network. More than 50 sites in the province will be upgraded or replaced with newer cellular equipment.
The upgrades are meant to support more advanced 5G, use less energy and lower running costs. They should also add network capacity and give customers faster data and better call quality. Vodacom also plans to speed up the rollout of new 5G sites in key towns across the province.
Waldi Wepener, Managing Executive of Vodacom Western Cape, said the push to expand 5G in the province will further improve network performance. He said the ongoing upgrades are helping more customers get the benefits of technology.
Last month, Vodacom tested what it called the world’s first integrated passive-active Massive MIMO system. MIMO stands for Multiple-Input Multiple-Output.
Vodacom said the system will be used at chosen sites that need more capacity. It said the technology helps add capacity where space or structures make it hard to expand the network.
“As demand for mobile data continues to grow, we need to continuously evolve our network,” said Beverly Ngwenya, Vodacom South Africa’s Technology Director.
Ngwenya said such new tools let Vodacom improve its network in smarter and more efficient ways, so it is ready for customers’ changing needs.
Source: this article is based on reporting by MyBroadband. Image: MyBroadband. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Technology desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Werner Jacobs covers technology for Tzaneen Voice. Werner reports on mobile networks, data prices, internet access, smartphones, apps, AI, cybersecurity and South African tech companies. Each story explains what a new product, price change or policy means for ordinary users in South Africa.